How to Adjust The Rear Sight of a Rifle

Iron sights can be quite useful once you know how to properly adjust them.

Many rifles are equipped with a scope, but iron sights are far from obsolete. In fact, iron sights have certain advantages over scopes: They are lighter, less bulky and generally more rugged than scope sights. Iron sights are, however, less intuitive when it comes to adjusting them. It is easy to become confused as to which direction to move the rear sight, or even how to do so, as rifle manufacturers rarely include instructions for adjusting iron sights on the assumption the user will add a scope sight.

Things You'll Need

• Rifle
• Ammunition
• Targets
• Gunsmithing screwdriver set
• Drift punch, brass or nylon
• Ball-peen hammer

Instructions

1. Look at the rear sight on your rifle to determine what type of adjustments it has. For windage, it may have a single screw or knob on one side, a screw on each side or simply a dovetail--with or without a set screw--in which the sight may be drifted to one side or the other. For elevation, it may have a screw or knob on the top, a slot and set screw, or a ramped dovetail with a set screw.

2. Load the rifle and fire a five-round group at the distance to which you want to sight the rifle. Use the ammunition you intend to use under most circumstances, because different ammunition may shoot to a different point of impact.

3. Look at the group and determine which direction the point of impact needs to move. If the center of your group is 3 inches to the right and 2 inches low with respect to the bulls-eye, for example, move the group up and to the left.

4. Move the rear sight in the direction that you want the point of impact to move. If you need to move the impact to the left and up, move the rear sight left and up. If your sight has a simple dovetail, tap the base of the dovetail with a hammer and a brass or nylon drift punch. If it is a dovetail with a set screw, loosen the set screw by turning it counter-clockwise, move the sight by hand, and re-tighten the set screw. If there is one adjustment screw or knob, turn it in the direction indicated on the sight for the direction you wish the sight to move. If there is a screw on each side, loosen the screw on the side toward which you want to move the sight, then tighten the screw on the opposite side and re-tighten the first screw. To adjust the elevation with a single screw or knob adjustment, turn the knob or screw in the direction indicated on the sight. If it is a simple slot with a set screw, loosen the screw and move the blade in the desired direction, then tighten the screw. If it is a dovetail on a ramp, loosen the set screw and slide the blade up or down the ramp, then tighten the set screw. If it is a stepped ramp, as on many lever-action rifles, pull the blade up by hand, then move the ramp to the next step up or down and release the blade.

5. Shoot another group. If you are still not on target, adjust the rear sight further, in the same manner as before. Repeat until you are consistently on target.

6. If there are any set screws or opposing screws, double-check their tightness.

Tips & Warnings

• Once you have the rear sight properly adjusted, tap the sight lightly with the handle of a screwdriver to settle the adjustment.

• Always keep the muzzle of your rifle pointed in a safe direction.

• Unload the rifle before attempting to adjust the sights.

References

• Old Windsor Rifle & Pistol Club: Iron Sight Adjustment